1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for assembling a stack of business forms in a test dummy and more particularly to an improved and more versatile method and manually operable apparatus for economically assembling print out paper for on site test purposes to more accurately reflect actual operating conditions.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Computer print out paper or business forms are arranged in a stack, which today contain as many as, for example, 15 copies and interleaved carbons for imprinting by computer print out machines, as against only three or four copies used in previous years. These copies must be accurately imprinted, however the great variety in the character of the paper, the carbons and the type and condition of the print-out machine requires that the paper and carbon be carefully selected and positioned in accordance with the character of the machine in order to accurately imprint all copies in stacks of this size.
It is therefore a custom in the business of supplying such forms to test the paper prior to purchase by running a test dummy or stack through the customer's print-out machine to simulate actual running or operating conditions for determining such factors as proper paper weight or character.
In such facsimile of operating conditions, the salesman will make up a stack or manifold of business forms containing a desired number of papers of various thicknesses at selected locations in the stack together with interleaved carbon paper. The carbon paper is required in the event the paper does not have transfer means. This is usually done by inserting the paper sheets and interleaved carbon in a pocket carrier strip to which the front and back sheets of the stack are pasted with a window in the carrier permitting printing of the stack. Since the carrier is quite thick, adjustment of the print out machine to reflect the actual stack thickness is not feasible nor is proper tension provided on the paper, since only the carrier feed holes are engaged with the printer traction pins during the test run. Thus most of the forms and their carbons are simply floated in the carrier. In addition the window in the carrier being cut to a smaller dimension than the paper creates a framing effect and an unrealistic print image.
Another approach is to use live samples for the test run. The use of live samples on the other hand often requires the acquisition of a stack of previously manufactured paper forms, peeling them apart and re-collation or recombination to create the desired combinations. There is no effective means of fastening the stack of re-combinations, which are therefore difficult to run. Since the old carbon paper in the original stack can provide a better image than fresh carbon paper these re-combined stacks are in addition to being time consuming to assemble also are inappropriate for accurately reflecting actual operating or running conditions.
A third approach is to machine manufacture the test samples prior to test, however, so many combinations of paper numbers and thicknesses are required that this is not a viable alternative, especially since an inventory is necessary to avoid setting up the machine just prior to a test. An inventory in turn leads to aging of the carbon paper.
Because of the many variables and the failure of the test dummies to accurately reflect operating conditions, disputes often arise as to the source of subsequent problems, which may lie either in the paper, the carbon or in the machine adjustment or character.